WESTERN MAINE CONFERENCE

Athletic Administrators Meeting

February 6, 2009 - 8:30 AM

Captain’s Galley Restaurant, Old Orchard Beach

 

I. Roll Call – Attendance

The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m.

Attendance:

·         Absent: Cape, Fryeburg

·         Late arrivals: Poland, GNG 9:12 am; Lake Region 9:28

 

II       Executive Secretary/Treasurer's Report.

Minutes from January meeting were sent by Email

Motion Yarmouth/Falmouth to accept the minutes passes unanimously

Ken Levinsky distributed spreadsheets detailing balances of $4,612.70 in the checking account, and $34,858.82 in the savings account.

Motion Freeport/Traip to receive the Secretary/Treasurer's report passes unanimously.

 

III     Old Business

League Website (Chris Hughes)

Update given

 

WMC-SMAA March Summit

Summit scheduled for March 4, 2009 at the South Portland Recreation Center at 8:30 A.M.

·         The first hour of the meeting will be devoted to having the liaisons/representatives of each sport looking for common ground in areas of cost savings, scheduling efficiency and travel reduction. Nonheal point varsity and heal point subvarsity sports will be examined. Recommended to have softball and baseball meet together

·         All present will then gather for a joint meeting. Lunch will be served.

·         Concern that the decrease in teams qualifying for the playoffs from 67% to 50% could be a deterrent to interclass scheduling. Suggestion to close gap in Heal point differential between classes. Motion Yarmouth/Freeport to send a letter to the MPA requesting reducing the gap in Heal point differential between classes passes unanimously.

The sports and liaisons involved:

·         Golf: Mike Dutton

·         Skiing: Paul True

·         Baseball: Mike Roberge

·         Softball: Don King

·         Soccer: Sue Robbins

·         Indoor/outdoor track: Mike Griffin

·         Field hockey: Jack Trull

·         Football: Ted Welch

·         Tennis: Todd Livingston

 

First Team Rationale and Fee Structure will be addressed at the March meeting

 

MPA ad hoc “cost saving” committee

The management committee voted on January 26.

Conference Athletic Directors on following MPA committees will provide feedback about how the changes affect their sport.

·         Greely and Sacopee Valley: soccer

·         Falmouth: Football

·         Lake Region: golf

·         Poland: basketball

·         Waynflete: tennis

·         Fryeburg: field hockey

·         Falmouth (boys coach Scott Rousseau): ice hockey

 

IV. New Business

MIAAA/NIAAA Reports/News/Info

Craig Sickels spoke with assigners from around the state and found there was great discrepancy between fees charged and assignment definitions. MIAAA will look at developing statewide standards at its next meeting on March 2. Jack Trull suggested that travel expenses also be examined. There is a need for more carpooling by officials and assigning of officials living nearer to schools.

 

Award Nominations (Sue Robbins, awards chair for the state, reviewed the state and national scholarship awards process. She had previously emailed that information to each AD)

·         Don Dow Scholarship. A $500 scholarship will be drawn at random. An easy way to recognize students.

·         National Scholarship Award

·         Special Achievement Award. One (MIAAA member) for each conference, leading to one statewide winner. Former winners include Sue Robbins, Craig Sickels and Ted Welch. Jeff Thorek (nominated by Sue Robbins and Ted Welch) was voted as this year’s WMC honoree for his efforts with lacrosse scheduling, awards and the Campbell Conference. The league also recognized Mike Griffin for his work with indoor track.

·         Bob Leahy Award for administrator of the year. Ross Burdick and Ted Welch nominated Craig Sickels. Sue Robbins nominated Ted Welch.

·         Keith Lancaster Award for education. Paul True and Ted Welch nominated Sue Robbins

·         Larry LaBrie MIAAA Award for work outside the field of athletics.  Ken Roberts was nominated for his work with lacrosse, field hockey and soccer. Sue Robbins will write a narrative for Ken’s nomination.

·         Martin E. Ryan Awards of Excellence in Athletic Administration (active or retired 15+ years with an emphasis on Maine athletics Keith Weatherbie and Bob Boucher were nominated. Sue will write a narrative for the nominations.

·         Retired Athletic Administrator selection(s)

·         Print Media Mike Hoffer of the Forecaster always finds something positive. Kevin Mills of the Lewiston Sun Journal is positive and interested. Stan Ross of the York Independent is positive and understands sensitive issues

·         Electronic Media Sarah Parlin WPXT, Norm Karkos WMTW

 

V. Individual Sport Reports

FALL SPORTS –

Cross Country (No Report)

 

Field Hockey

·         Distributed B and C draft schedules to share with coaches. Second reading in March.

·         C dates will be added in March.

·         Gray and Poland may swap some C opponents.

 

Football (No Report)

 

Golf (No Report)

 

Soccer

·         Schedules were distributed on December 8. Dates have not been plugged in.

·         Poland concerned about placement in the second of three tiers and the loss of doubletons against similar teams.

·         Business calendar calls for date by date in March.

 

Volleyball (Mike Griffin)

Distributed second year of two year schedule

 

WINTER SPORTS –

Basketball (Craig Sickels)

Girls League champions:

·         B: York

·         C: Waynflete

Boys League champions:

·         B: Greely

·         C: Traip

Distributed seven page packet for postseason coaches meeting on February 8 containing:

1.        Agenda

2.        Stats report

3.        Request for Bio's for potential senior honorees

4.        An invoice of $100 per school to repay Lake Region for the 2007 loss, SMCC for the 2008 balance and to cover the loss of the $1,000 sponsorship. (per coach's vote)

5.        An invoice of $5 a person at the door, if not paid in advance by the coach.

6.        All conference notification letter. Suggestion to hand deliver to student and mail copy to parents

7.        Senior All Star notification letter. Suggestion to hand deliver to student and mail copy to parents

Awards Night/dessert buffet is March 9 (March 10 Senior all-star Game)

·         Award winner’s names will not be released until after completion of the state tournament

·         Requirement of academic award is a 93+ average for 7 semesters

Next month Craig will seek AD recommendations for the next two year schedule

 

Cheering (Lee Hixon)

State championship tomorrow

 

Ice Hockey

Girls’ playoffs have started. They are following the boys’ bulletin for officials’ payment, overtime etc

The Collissee will rent in half hour increments to meet girls’ needs for next year.

·         Greely pays $225 an hour at Family Ice

·         York pays as much as $300 an hour

·         St Doms pays $210 an hour  and will increase next year

Jason Fuller is on the MPA committee and will be at the February 15th girls coaches meeting and encourage them to advocate.

NCAA title 9 lawyer Janet Judd told Greely that the MPA 3 year plan is not adequate. Should be equal immediately, if no compelling reason to wait. Reality is that communities are showing good faith. Lose/lose if challenged.

 

Alpine Skiing

Conference championships went well.

·         Yarmouth won both boys and girls championships.

·         Athletes from an individual school wore inappropriate underwear over their uniforms and hung it on trees. This was addressed through the school. Sue Robbins will also speak with her principal, who is on the ski committee, about this “custom”.

 

Nordic Skiing

Suggestion that the league take responsibility for billings as is done with Alpine. Coaches currently put out their own funds and wait for reimbursement.

 

Indoor Track (Mike Griffin)

Conference Championship

·         Seeding meeting last night at Scarborough. Unlimited participation in long jump.

·         Schools may arrive at 8:30, field events begin at 9:30

·         Gate charge will be $4/$2

·         Programs and T-shirts available for sale

State meet at Bates. ¼-inch pyramid spikes will be allowed.

Postseason coaches meeting on Monday March 2 at 6 pm in the USM Alumni room. (Will send Email notice)

 

Swimming (Todd Livingston)

State meet entries due February 10

 

Wrestling (Jack Molloy)

·         B/C Regionals January 31 at Wells. Two TV stations and Press Herald provided coverage.

·         State championship Saturday Feb 7 at Augusta CC

·         Jack will confirm JV information. Fryeburg volunteered to host.

·         Traip Middle school and High school programs cut. Some students may be interested in wrestling independently with other schools.

 

SPRING SPORTS – Date by Date

Softball/Baseball (No Report)

 

Lacrosse

Ken Roberts emailed to Athletic Directors yesterday, an SMAA/WMC schedule (KVAC opted out) he developed with Jeff Thorek and Gary Hoyt. Schedule was delayed awaiting outcome of the MPA meeting on January 26.

·         Concerns expressed that some schools feel they will be over matched due to formulas used to create schedule. Unfortunately, this is a fact of life in other sports as well.

·         Concern that the schedule was made around the SMAA prom dates.

·         Unable to go date by date as a group as is the practice when all games are within the WMC. ADs will have to contact SMAA Athletic Directors.

Motion Yarmouth/Falmouth to accept the girls and boys schedules passes with 7 in favor (Falmouth, Greely, Yarmouth, Wells, St. Doms, NYA, Waynflete) 2 opposed (York, Freeport) and 6 abstentions (Sacopee, Old Orchard, Traip GNG, Lake Region, Poland)

St Doms is playing a girls club schedule. Looking for games with JV, third teams etc.

Lake Region is playing a boys club schedule. Looking for games with JV, third teams etc. As Waynflete does not have JV boys, opposing teams could play Lake Region instead.

 

Outdoor Track (No Report)

 

Tennis

Coaches meeting March 23 at 6 pm at Falmouth High

Singles qualifying meeting May 13 at 7:30 pm at Falmouth

 

VI Awards/Archives - NYA

 

VII. Announcements

Old Orchard: Two of their four tennis courts are condemned. Can practice on the two remaining courts but will have to play all matches away. Their running track is deteriorated. Can not host meets.

St Doms: approached about joining the Mountain Valley conference. Lee and the school principal will attend MVC meeting on March 11.

Greely: Reported on positive publicity regarding special needs student playing in a varsity basketball game and thanked GNG for their help with that.

 

VIII Other

 

    IX.            Review WMC Business Calendar for next month’s items

 

 

X Adjournment

Motion Lake Region/ Gray-New Gloucester to adjourn passes unanimously

Adjournment at 1:59 pm

 

Upcoming meetings:

Summit with SMAA on March 4 at 8:30 A.M. at the South Portland Recreation Center

WMC monthly meeting on March 13 at 8:30 a.m. Captains Galley, Old Orchard Beach

Remaining Meeting Dates for 2008-09:

·         April: 10

·         May: 8

·         June: TBA

 

Respectfully submitted,

Ken Levinsky